U.S. Military: Somali Pirates Expanding Their Range

Somali pirates are causing bigger worries for the U.S military and commercial shipping in the Arabian Sea.

A top U.S. naval commander in the Middle East said Wednesday that the pirates’ use of captured freighters is a “game-changer,” dramatically expanding the range of their attacks and increasing the danger to international commerce.

Adm. Mark Fox, commander of the Persian Gulf based-Fifth Fleet, said the international community should consider a more aggressive “counter-terrorism” approach to combating piracy. “I am not advocating we suddenly come out with guns blazing,” he said. “I am advocating we use the same techniques that have been successful in counter-terror that we have not heretofore used in counter piracy.”

Speaking at a roundtable with reporters in Washington sponsored by the Center for Media and Security, Adm. Fox said he was worried that the violence from the pirates could increase. Pirates, who already hold hostages in harsh conditions, could start executing them or they could move from seizing cargo ships, and try and take a passenger cruise ship, he said…